Vehicle wheel brake



Aug. 15,1944. E. 'r. WEEKS ETAL 2,356,111

VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE Filed May 9, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventors.ELMER771'E0D0EE WEEKS 17w: M M5CULLEY,

Attaruey 1944. E. 'r. WEEKS ETAL 2,356,111

VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE Filed May 9, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors I L MER72/5000/96 WEEKS .72 Yd M 4% Cu LE);

Attorney Aug. 15, 1944- E. 'r. WEEKS ETAL VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE 5Sheeis-Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1942 I Inventor: El/ 152 72/500025 WEE/(SJ74Y M M- CULLEY,

A tlorney Aug. 15, 1944. E. T. WEEKS EI'AL 2,356,111

VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE Filed May 9, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 M g3 22/14672/500025 WEEKS 2.96. Jim E M. MCCULLEX B) fiewaaz ih A ttormj'Inventors Aug. 15, 9 E. T. WEEKS ETAL VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE Filed May 9,1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q\.. m wN \Q ww M6 mm .M N\ mm mw V w .W\ W nu N 7M6 mm WU Nw WA A MN L1 lnventm:

157mm 795mm: WEEKS 274v:- M. M-Tuue;

A tta m e Patented Aug. 1 5, 1944 VEHICLE WHEEL BRAKE Elmer TheodoreWeeks and Faye M. McCulley, Scott Bar, Calif.

Application May 9, 1942, Serial No. 442,354

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehiclewheel constructions of a type disclosed in our prior Patent No. 2,267,-225, dated'December 23, 1941, and the present invention has for itsprimary object to provide a cooling system for theinterior of the brakedrum whereby to provide for the more efllcient operation of thehydraulic brake system.

A further object is to provide a vehicle wheel construction and coolingsystem therefor, which is eflicient and reliable in performance,relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and install in operative positionon the automobile and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for whichthe same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and.operationas, more mu hereinafter described and e1eimed;jreier ence beinghad to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, whereinlike'numerals refer to like parts throughout and inwhichr- Figure 1 is aside elevationalview of a vehicle wheel drum equipped with ourinvention.

Figure 2 is an edge elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the front wheel spindle showingthe connection for the hy-- draulic brake system and nected thereto.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of one of the rearwheels.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the axle for the rear wheelshowing the connection for the hydraulic brake system and air coolingsystem therefor.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the interior of the front wheelshowing the dust collecting cup for th hydraulic brake cylinder.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the axlehousing extension for one of the rear wheels.

Figure 9 is a-diagram of the system for the hydraulic brakeand aircooling means, and

Figure 10 is a detail showing the connection of the air cooling systemwith the air fllter of the engine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration we have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,

and with particular reference to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, the numeral5 designates the forkshaped spindle shoulder on which the spindle 6 isformed for the front wheel hub, designated generally at 1. Between thespindle and'the hub cooling system conis the usual roller bearingassembly 8, at each end of which is the grease-retaining washers 9.

The inner end of the hub is formed with a flange I0 to which is securedthe inner wall II of the brake .drum I 2. v

The outer end of the brake drum is provided with an outwardly extendingflange 13 to which is flatwise secured the cover plate It having acentral portion provided with the circumferentially arranged lugs I5 onwhich the vehicle wheel (not shown) is secured in the usual manner.

The outer end of the spindle 6 is provided with a reduced threadedextension [6 having longitudinally extending grooves l'l formed thereinfor receiving the tongues l8 projecting inwardly of the central openingin the backing plate IS on which the brake shoes 20 are pivotallymounted in the usual manner. The central opening in the backing plate isadapted to receive the threaded extension l6 of the spindle, and thetongue and groove connection between the backing plate and the spindlesecures the backing plate against rotation. The backing plate is securedin position by means of a nut 2| threaded in the reduced extension l6.

Extending axially of the spindle 6 is the passage 22, the inner end ofthe passage terminating in a lateral extension 23 formed in the spindleshoulder 5 and to which the hydraulic brake line 24 is attached. Theouter end of the passage is provided with an L-fitting 25 to which apipe 26 is attached leading to the brake cylinder 21 of conventionalconstruction for operating the free ends of the brake shoes '20, asshown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawings. The cover plate I4 isprovided with an opening 28 in a convenient position to provide accessto the bleeder 29 of the brake cylinder, the opening being nor,- mallyclosed by means of a removable plate 30 secured in position by bolts 3|.

From the foregoing, it will b apparent that the brake shoes 20 and theinternal brake surface of the drum l2 are completely enclosed andsubstantially air-tight so as to prevent the entrance of foreign matterwhich might aifect the eilicient operation of the brake.

- In Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, we have illustrated the wheelconstruction forming our invention applied to the rear axle 32 of amotor-driven vehicle, which is generally provided with the axle housing33 and within which the axle is freely rotatable. The rear axle housing33 is formed with a tubular extension 33' having a telescopisragconnection and secured in position by bolts I I.

The outer end of the axle is formed with a flange to which the centralportion of the cover plate 35 is secured by means of bolts 38.

- The cover plate is.provided with the usual wheel rotation, the backlngplate being secured by the nut 45.

The extension 33' is formed with a passage 46 to the outer end of whichis connected the brake line 41 and the passage at its inner end isconnected by means of an L-fitting 48 with a pipe 49 leading to thebrake cylinder 50.

Connected to the backing plate I! of the front wheel and to the backingplate ll of the rear wheel are dust-collecting cups i and 52,respectively, the cups being positioned under the ends of the respectivebrake cylinders and are secured in position to their respective backingplates by tongues 53 and 54 inserted through openings (not shown) inthebacking plate and bent downwardly, as:v shown to advantage in Figures3 and 5 of the drawings.

The spindle 6 of the front wheel is also formed with an air feed passage55 communicating at the end of the spindlewith the interior of the brakedrum and is also provided with a return passage 56 likewisecommunicating at the outer end of the spindle with the interior of thebrake drum. Flexible hose 51 and 58 are connected-to the respectivepassages 55 and 56 and lead to front distributor casings 59 and 60mounted on the automobile adjacent the respective front wheels, thedistributor casings being connected to each other by hose lines BI and62. An air hose 63 connects the air filter 84 of the automobile enginewith the distributor 59 for connection with the air hose 51, while anair hose 65 connects the distributor casing 59 with the intake manifold66 of the engine, the hose 65 being in communication with the hose 58,whereby it will be apparent that air, after entering the filter 64, willpass into the wheel drum and be drawn therefrom into the intake manifold66, the cool air thus passing through the drum serving to cool the same.

The rear axle housing extension I3 is also provided with intakeanddischarge air passages 01 and 68 communicating with the interior of therear brake drum, the passages 81 and 88 having 5 air hose 69 andconnected respectively thereto and leading to distributor casings 'Iland I! mounted adjacent the rear end of the automobile.

Air pipes 13 and 14 lead from the rear distributor casings forwardly tothe front distributor i0 casing'SO, which provides connection for theair pipe to the air filter and intake manifold, as will be apparent froman inspection of Figure 9 of the drawings.

The several distributor casings also provide 5 connection for the hoseleading from the respective brakes-to the master cylinder 18 of thehydraulic brake-system.

\ From the foregoing, it will be apparent that an air circulation systemis provided for each of the brakedrums to effectively cool the same andprevent overheating of the brakes.

It is believed the details of construction, operation and advantages ofthe device will be readily the invention what we the passages of theaxle for circulating air through the drum. 1

2. In combination, a vehicle wheel including a hollow brake drum, anaxle for the wheel having air intake and return passages thereincommunicating with the drug, an engine intake manifold having an airfilter attached thereto, and means connecting the'air passages of theaxle to the manifold and to the filter for circulating air through thedrum.

v 3. In combination, a vehicle wheel including a hollow brake drum, anaxlefor the wheel having air intake and return passages thereincommunicating with the drum, an engine intake manifold having an airfilter attached thereto, a fluid distributor casing, air hose connectingthe passages of the axle to the casing, and air hose connecting thecasing to the manifold and to the filter for circulating air through thebrake drum.

ELMER, THEODORE WEEKS.

FAYE M. MCCULLEY.

understood from the foregoing without further

